Skilsaw Cordless Worm Drive Saw - Initial Review 

Wow, thanks!

@@essentialcraftsman How does it compare to the Makita cordless that you've been using? Great channel and advice btw, I've been watching you for years!

He looks just like my dad did at that age too. On Thanksgiving, I played a video for the family and asked "who does this remind you of' before hitting play. W Everyone said wow! Wish he was here to see it. Scott, you will live to be 93 years old and be healthy and still able to drive till your last day.

Thanks for the year 2020 to Scott & channel crew! See u in 2021 (^__^)_____/

I definitely respect Scott's review more than almost any other. A lifetime of skill shows in his thoughtful comments and suggestions.

Yeah but you have to be weary when the company sends you something for free. They could have added better parts or at least thoroughly inspected it before hand. It might not represent the saw an average person would get at the store. I know from other YT channels that specialize in collectable cards that when a company sends you cards for free they will almost always load the decks with extra good cards to trick customers into thinking that receiving cards that good is normal.

@@ButterBallTheOpossum I've seen several tool review channels actually go out and buy the same tool that the company sent and found exactly what you described. Tools with upgraded parts and a lot of extra attention paid to the assembly and finish of the internals. Hot rodders call it "blueprinting", where someone goes through and checks each part and clearance to make sure they are exactly to design, deburred, polished, etc.

@@gasfiltered shit like this is typically why I watch AvE's tool reviews. The man can't be bought

Well, Skil is now owned by Bosch you know.

K

Totally true. Scott is the real deal for sure. Pure integrity rings through with his words. Awesome all around. Mr. 044 Stihl, love it... Jim

It's a great sign off

Agreed! Best sign off ever. It wouldn't be the same coming from any one else.

Same type of sincerity as when Mr. Rogers told us he liked us just the way we are.

Had to drop his name!

This is something I dislike about a lot of companies....you buy a brand new tool, or whatever, the next day they're wanting you to review it....well umm, I just got the thing out of the box....give me some time with it first. For some of us, several weeks, or months of usage will net a very useful, and thorough review. Maybe they wanted a review of how big of a PITA it was to get it out of the packaging, IDK, but I dislike these hey we want to get your review/opinion on that brand new tool you just got an hour ago companies. Guys like Scott that have been using tools like this for decades can give a pretty good honest assessment pretty quick, but I like how Scott actually used that new cordless saw for several months before doing his review, and he did a great job, with the pros and cons of that new saw. Scott brought up a point where the new cordless saw is good in some areas but not in others....thats kind of a trade off with cordless tools in general...and I'm glad that Scott gave a fair honest opinion and review of that saw....its not a bad saw I'm sure, but I can see where it would have some shortcomings....its heavier, its balanced different...among other points....it does the job, but sometimes requires a different approach. I just bought a Skil Mag 77 Worm Drive corded saw....very first worm drive saw I've ever had, and the first one I've used. In the 1/2 hour I've used mine so far around my shop, I can say, its got plenty of power to rip through stuff that would really strain a sidewinder saw. Can't go wrong with one of these saws...and in my usage around home, a cordless version would work fine too, but I don't mind dragging out the extension cord to run my corded worm drive saw. Its heavy, but for some reason even the limited use I've had with it so far, it seems more like an extension of my hand, and I can get it to cut straight and stay true much easier than a sidewinder, maybe because of the blade being on the left...all my sidewinder saws have always had the blade on the right...blade on the left makes it much easier to see what I'm doing and it goes where I point it much easier.

That is an excellent idea!

That makes sense for that kind of work. This is ideal if you don’t want to drag around a generator or be hunting for a power source.

makita does have this as an addition. one is a whole backpack that can take like 4 batteries and with a short cord make it seem like 1 battery in the tool

What about a long cord with the battery terminal connection so you could go corded or cordless?

Just found this article about something like that toolguyd.com/los-gatos-power-cordless-tools-ac-adapter/ but there’s got to be something more sexy than that. Now that we just put it on RU-vid, I’m sure someone’ll get rich off it. There go our millions, guys! 😆

Who is AVE? Sounds like a good channel. Thanks

@@neild7971 potty mouthed Canadian who disassembles pretty much any tool you can name, from cordless drills to random bits of massive hydraulics. Channel name is AvE, check it out but probably with headphones in - he is not polite but very funny!

@@ZakKarimjee that summed it up well

This lead to AvE and AvE lead to ThisOldTony a win win win!

@@ZakKarimjee Ehh only my parents would be able to hear my speakers, but they only speak English not... whatever AvE speaks

Must be nice to always have power on the jobsite. ;-)

@@xcalibertrekker6693 Not always but my compressor is gas powered with a small generator.

Whats your take on dust out the handle ? You see what I think of it. ?

As someone who’s always tripping over cords, I agree.

How long does that 🔋 last?

If nothing else.....Scott is a wise, old man.

Dude, Ive had it for about 8 years now and I forget that youtube even has ads. When I see them on other people's accounts it always surprises me. Plus, RU-vid Music does a pretty damn good job of putting together playlists for me these days.

Black and Decker made some good tools a long time ago. Forty years ago what was the price difference between a B&D worm drive and a Skil 77?

@@rightlanehog3151 it's been so long I just can't remember how much I paid for it. I do remember it was substantial enough that I couldn't afford the Skil but I could afford the Black & Decker. Other than minor maintenance I haven't had to do a thing to it for 40 years.

@@danven1256 :-)

Amen and Hallelujah. As a Canadian, I might add that in the good old days prior to the NAFTA/WTO Disaster they used to build them here as well. I started collecting old power tools a few years ago. I have Skil 77s made in Chicago and Skil 77Cs made in Toronto. I also have my dad's old Porter Cable 8 1/4 saw from Syracuse as well as a couple of Porter Cables made in Guelph, Ontario. I am hopeful that one day trade policies will support middle class manufacturing jobs in our countries and encourage a repatriation of manufacturing NOT the further export of productive industries.

Yep. I have a corded skil for the guy at the horses and a cordless 18v Mikita wherever I’m at

Skil still supplies parts for older worm drives so they are usually quite easy to maintain and repair. I hope you change the lubricating oil once in a while.

@@rightlanehog3151 I was shocked at the wear and tear, she is still running smooth. What's the rule with the oil, the bigger the blob the better the job!?

@@nicktoland2863 Skil sells their own brand of worm drive lubricating oil. A tube should cost around $5. There are numerous videos on RU-vid about the 5 minute process of changing it and there are lots of videos on Model 77 rebuilds and repairs. As you have already shown, there are plenty of Skil worm drives on sale in solid working condition. Over the last couple of years I have built up a small collection of older Skil worm drives and other quality American tools. They are available at VERY reasonable prices as long as you stay away from daydreamers on Ebay. There is no need to spend $hundreds on a new tools when you can get a sweet deal and keep a classic from going to the scrap heap at the same time.

For SURE!!

@@essentialcraftsman would be a good idea to make a strain relief that pinches the cord so there is zero chance it pulls a connector?, saw you put the long cord on the new mag77, dont recall if you did anything like that, but maybe a new video idea?

Lol dude this saw rocks other then my what I point out. Smaller battery lol we use this saw every day it cuts like corded saw. You can have 1 guy cutting for 2 crews an saw will run solid 4 hours. Me an my guys grab this saw 99% of the time

Much more of a US brand but have seen a few kicking around.

Generally don't see circular saws in the UK with the handle on the back. Seems like there would be greater control like that and I'd like to try one (a lot due to the influence of EC too)

@@dantovey2785 Worm drive is more common in Western US and direct drive is common on the east coast US

@@pro353 just doesn't seem to be a market for it over here which is a shame. Would love to see a Bosch 18v cordless skill saw style to add to the collection

There is the Makita, Dewalt and Milwaukee rear handle saw if you want one with handle at the back

By the way in this comment my syntax is poor

I have the Dewalt 575 Flexvolt right blade and love it .

I do a lot of concrete forming and I love my Dewalt saw. I take both my corded saw and my battery saw to job sites. I haven't used my corded saw in the last two years.

Yep if you’re on the roof (or a second floor deck) you need a rope. So my advice to Skil for a carabiner hole on their battery saw goes double to all the cordless gun makers. Make it easy for a framer to clip on an *actual rope* when needed. We all have tie-off ropes all over a Jobsite now - one more is no big deal.

Old Porter Cables were quite possibly the best tools made. I fully admit to a bias in that regard as my father's mid-60s saw is so good that it inspired me to start collecting them. Too bad the name Porter Cable has been dragged through the mud in recent years and now comes attached to plastic junk.

We know the old 77s were built to last. It is far too early to tell whether the new ones have the same longevity.

Nobody actually wants the blade outside the motor in relation to their body. But it keeps the cost down to skip all the worm drive stuff. As an IT guy who uses a skillsaw for maybe a dozen cuts a year, I've got the cheap one. Partially because it's cheap, partially because it takes less room in the truck.

It's all about personal preference. Having the blade on the left side is nice because you get to see the cut, but it's awkward in a few ways: 1) Sawdust gets ejected into your face and onto your hands (unless you have that nice dust port like the cordless one he shows). 2) You are usually supporting/holding the wood with your left hand and the cut off side is on the other side of the saw. So the big part of the saw table is resting on the cutoff side and the little part is resting on the good side, giving you less surface area to keep the saw on. Some people don't mind dealing with those as long as they can see the blade. To each their own.

Ya, I don't like my body laying over my saw while I'm cutting. Also, your face has to be closer to the saw, to see your mark, and now you increase your chances of a splinter getting under the safety glasses (never fails). With a blade on the left. You can just run on your line and get it done in a smoother, safer way.

@@Elkadetodd And saves a lot of weight meaning you can have bigger or more power batteries and still weight much less then his worm drive.

As I lefty I love sidewinders. Being blade right except for me being in the line of fire with the saw dust. I have a corded skil wormdrive and the times ive used it felt awkward. Likely because i am soo used to having blade right.

thanks man just got another one

Totally agree. It's the perfect tool for such jobs. I can remodel an entire room with one, on one charge. I have the Milwaukee.

No way is this better than the 36volt rear handle makita with two 6s

If I wanted a new one I’d just get the Milwaukee m18 fuel 7 1/4 rear handle I wouldn’t choose makita personally